The new European Sleeper route will run about twice a week during the winter and take around 15 hours.
ADVERTISEMENTThe night train boom is continuing with a new sleeper across Europe launching in 2025.
European Sleeper has announced a new seasonal service that will cross Europe from the North Sea to the Adriatic, passing through nine different cities.
The railway group says the route has been chosen to accommodate both winter sports holidays, city breaks and Venice Carnival, which will take place from 22 February to 4 March next year.
Here’s everything we know about when it will start running and where it will take passengers.
New sleeper to connect nine European cities
The new night train comes “in response to the high demand for winter sports travel, city trip options and the lack of suitable train connections,” according to European Sleeper.
The seasonal route will begin in Brussels and end in Venice, a new destination for the Belgian-Dutch company. The overnight journey will take passengers through Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and Austria before ending in Italy.
It will stop in Antwerp, Rotterdam, Utrecht, Cologne, Munich, Innsbruck and Verona en route.
“Passengers will be able to board our train from Belgium and the Netherlands, and relax in the comfort of the restaurant car, while the train transports them through Germany and Austria, and across the Alps, ending in the historic cities of Verona and Venice the following day,” says Chris Engelsman, co-founder of European Sleeper.
The stop at Innsbruck, the gateway to the Austrian Alps, aims to facilitate winter sports holidays.
The inaugural journey will depart from Brussels on 5 February 2025, with the service operating approximately twice weekly during February and March and taking around 15 hours.
“This schedule accommodates school holidays, and the peak winter sports season, and provides a sustainable, enjoyable travel option to Venice’s famous carnival,” Engelsman says.
“This marks a new important milestone for European Sleeper and the convenience of night travel across Europe more sustainably.”
When does booking open for European Sleeper’s new night train?
European Sleeper says it is still finalising the departure and arrival times with authorities and a timetable will be released soon.
Information about ticket prices is also expected to be released soon.
Booking will officially open on 1 September. The service will also be available for booking through partner Green City Trip, an environmentally conscious tour operator based in the Netherlands.
